The clergy sexual abuse scandal and the companion cover-up at the highest levels of the Boston Archdiocese continue to generate widespread public interest and debate. As a case in point, what appears to be a powerful lay movement has emerged in the form of a group called Voice of the Faithful.

Voice of the Faithful has what can only be described as a moderate agenda focused on elevating the role of the laity in the church. While the hierarchy of the Archdiocese presumably does not have an official position on the Voice of the Faithful, the Cardinal has refused to accept donations to church charities from the group. And the Archdiocese's official newspaper, The Pilot, has attacked its motives.

On another front, Jesuit-run Boston College this past week launched a multi-year dialogue on the future of the Church, including how power might be shared with the laity. Boston College President William Leahy and Boston business leader Jack Connors, who chairs the college's board, have both been outspoken critics of the scandal.

Finally, Regis, a Catholic women's college here in Weston, has its own forum planned next month on women in the church.

The priest sexual abuse scandal and its equally scandalous handling by Archdiocesan authorities have left deep scars on the Boston church. Initiatives like the Voice of the Faithful and those by Boston College and Regis can only help heal those wounds and in the end, hopefully, lead to a more inclusive and democratic church.